Millinery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Millinery refers to hats and other articles sold by a milliner to women, or the profession or business of designing, making, or selling hats, dresses, and hat trim to women. Women would ask a milliner to remake their old clothing into new clothing. A milliner is a hatter who designs, makes, sells or trims hats and dresses. Customers would visit a millinery shop to look at and to buy clothes (children's clothing, shirts, undergarments and caps, for example) Millinery, if taken in a more general sense, also means any accoutrements that are functionally unnecessary, such as a garnish on a dish, or the extra cuff-buttons on a man's dress jacket.
Many famous early designers began in millinery including Coco Chanel, Halston, Rose Bertin and Jeanne Lanvin. Philip Treacy is an example of a modern milliner.
The origin of the name is likely the Middle English Milener, as in an inhabitant of Milan or one who deals in items from Milan. (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition)
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